One Night.

NOTE :: This is an attempt by me in fiction. Read in a 'Narrative tone' and visualizing the scenes if possible. 

 

I was walking back home after a busy day at work. It was 21st of November and mid winter. The cold was killing and freezing my nerves. It was night and pitch dark/ The roads were silent. I could hear the ticking sound of my wrist watch. I gave it a glance. It showed 2330 hours. The calmness of the night was killing me. I have never been so late at work. And that day it was rather unusual. The roads aren't empty even if the clock strikes twelve. A vibration in my right pocket of my overcoat caught my attention. My phone was ringing. I slipped my old sleazy phone and flipped it open to check who was calling. It was the call from the customer care, saying that if I don't pay the due by tomorrow, my connection will be invalid. I just ignored it and kept it safely back in the pocket. I was on the pavement striding back to my rented house. "Oh my god!!", I exclaimed remembering the ugly old house owner. He was so stubborn. He was never interested in giving the room to me, as if the room was once visited and stayed by Queen Elizabeth. It was one ugly broken room. If I had not taken it, no one else would have taken it. I found it much cheaper than the remaining houses, at that time. It was a small room with a broken window and a small shabby bathroom. The public bathrooms are much better that that one. A small broken bed, which I think was used by his great-great grandfather. And the room was almost falling apart. I guess it was built is some early 16th century. I can tell this by the architecture it had and the material with which it was made, which was so weak. I had no other choice. I just came with a few clothes and a few books in my hand to do my studying thing. I knew no one in this foreign land. All were busy with their work and not even during graduation. I found no one quite helpful to me. I was alone.

The chilling night froze my legs and I could walk no further. I saw a park near by. It was calm and had a bench. I went near it collected some dry leaves and lit it with the lighter. And I sat down thinking of making money as fast as I can. My eyes caught the attention of the beauty of the night. The night working clad and the buildings lit up the dark night. The reflection of the light in the river was mesmerising to watch. I totally forgot about myself and let the images of my childhood play in front of my eyes. My hand slowly went into the left pocket of my overcoat, where I usually keep my cigarettes. "Damn", exclaimed I. I didn't had the money to buy that even. I woke up from my childhood-projection and started feeling the warmth of the burnt dry leaves. The night owls were out for their preys and making conversations to each other. The squealing noise of the blind bats was too much annoying. There was a swing at the corner of the park. Actually, it was no more a park and no more a playing area for the kids. It was an abandoned park. All that were left were the traces of the things which were used and left behind. The cold wind gave me a small chill in the spine. The heat was dying out, the leaves were flying randomly and I could not sustain the cold. I collected much more dry leaves and broken twigs and made the fire. Again my hand went to the left pocket for a cigarette as a habit. But I could find one. I just wasn't feeling well. I had a very bad day at work. I was pinned up by my boss for the mistake I never did. I knew a man, who was too jealous of me. This was my fifth job this year, and I could not just lose it again, due to some ugly bastard eying my work. I was too much sincere and though I did the projects and work, he always took the credit for an excuse to be in my group. I should have never allowed that and should have asked for a different group. I never knew his ugly thoughts and ideas for getting up the rank utilizing others hard work. I should have realized it much earlier. Today, he just made it a big issue by claiming me to the culprit in not submitting the project. But in reality, I had submitted it the previous day. I had to stay up the evening and re-submit it. It made me late. I was the last one to leave the workplace. It was cold outside and I just couldn't bear it. I was breaking the twigs in my hand as i was thinking about the events that happened in the morning. It made me angry, but I could do nothing.


The fire went down the fury and ended into the smoke while I recovered myself from the eventful history of the day. I could feel a sort of comfort in me with the small heat I made. I was now capable of making the journey back to my room. The streets were damn too silent. I looked at my watch. It was 0030 hours. It was too dark and the street lights were flickering. The incandescent light fell on the pavement on which I was walking. I was still in deep thought about the person who was acting so loyal but actually wasn't. I was way too far from my room. Actually, it takes me almost an hour to reach my room on a crowded evening. But today, I didn't feel like going to my room. But the cold was compelling to go as fast as I could. But I could walk faster. I saw a man pass by me fast on the other side of the road. I thought he was also late and hence was walking fast to reach his destination. Seconds passes by and the man disappeared in the turn at the end of the street.


"Somebody Help", a fine lady's voice broke the silence of the night. The voice revealed some sort of frightfulness. I quickly ran to the direction o the noise. It was the same path which the man took. I reached the corner of the road and gave a peek at the side road. It was dark, much darker than the remaining area. But the slightly glowing street light was sufficient to know what was happening. A man was holding a gun. I don't know what type of gun it was. He didn't see me nor did the lady. The man was holding a purse in the other hand and I saw her giving the cell phone also. She was literally crying, but with no voice. As he had already ordered her to remain silent or else he would shoot. I slowly crawled behind the shadows and tried to go near the scene. As I was crawling a hard thing in my pocket hit my hand. It was my phone. I immediately dialed 911.


"Hello, you have reached the emergency services", said a voice in the other side.

"He..e..ll..o", I was speaking, but I realised that the cold had freezed my jaws.

"What type of service do you want... Police, Ambulance, .. " continued the voice in the other side. I have never called for any emergency service and I never knew there was so much of ado in the procedure. I immediately responded

"Police, please. Its urgent. 27th street,Math street. Immediately please.", I said these with utmost caution without alarming the man and the lady.

"We will be sending a patrol car in a few seconds", said the voice from the control room and I was relieved from the call. I never knew that I could make a call. I forgot about the due in my phone balance.

Meanwhile....

"I have give you everything, I have. And I don't have anything else with me. Please let me go", said the lady from whom the man in the black overcoat took everything from her.He checked the money in the purse. It was huge and was sufficient for two months for a person like me.

"I am not satisfied with the money", said a hoarse voice, the voice of the man in the black overcoat. I anticipated his ugly desire. I no longer could stay in the dark and slowly came to light. The woman caught my attention and now I could see her face clearly. She was in a complete helpless state. And I no longer could take it.

"Please help me, he robbed me of everything and..." the lady was addressing me and the man turned towards me. I don't know what happened to me. I was bold enough to face him.

"Leave the lady alone. You got what you wanted. You got the money. So, now leave her alone.", I said in sort of a commanding voice.

"Its none of your business. Gett the helll out of here and better mind your work." darted the man pointing the revolver on me.

"I guess you also got what you wanted. So, now leavee..",  as I was saying, i was moving forward towards the lady.
I was moving slowly, but he could see me moving a opened fire in the empty air above. I could not it. It was rather too loud. I was shivering in one side and trying to protect the lady too. I was almost in the lion's den now. I was in the middle of both of them.

"Hey, don't you move a inch further or else I will shoot. Now, get the hell out of here.C'mon move your ass off here".
He pointed the gun towards me and the lady. I had a phone in my hand and I wasn't sure what to do. The cops haven't yet arrived. Its been some fifteen minutes and I couldn't the sight of them. I held the phone harder and thought of aiming it at the gun. I wasn't good at aim-hitting. I quickly pulled out my hand and threw it in the direction of the gun. I wasn't thinking. I could not. Luckily, it did hit the gun, but before it he had already shot the bullet. I could hear it in the silence of the night. I quickly gave a glance at the lady. She was fine. She wasn't hit. I thought, he missed the shot. The gun fell far from his reach. I quickly moved toward him to catch him. But was prepared for it and welcomed me with a punch. But luckily, I wasn't fast enough to receive it. I signalled the lady to run and call the cops. I stumbled and fell on him. This he didn't expect. This time, I tried giving him a nice shot. Though I did, but the frozen-stricken hands did not do much impact on him. I gave him another one. By now, he was ready to face it and defended it and gave me one hard hit. I moved back and fell on the ground. I could hear the siren of the cops. The could not feel anything. Just a small pain in the chest. But he hit me in the face. I saw blood oozing out of my chest. Now, it was hurting me much more. Was I shot? I went unconscious.


NEXT DAY NEWSPAPERS::

"A heroic man dies in an attempt to save a lady".


P.S. :: This is my first attempt on fiction. Actually I didn't want to end up like this. I am working on a similar genre of the story. So, if you people like this or have any suggestions to add, please drop by your suggestions. I would be glad to hear from you and would try to make it much more interesting.